Northern Ireland

United Kingdom

Cities

What to see in Northern Ireland

Attractions

Although Northern Ireland is perhaps best known to travellers
for its beautiful rural countryside and pretty coastline, the
cities also have charm: industrial Belfast and the 17th-century
walled city of Derry are two of the most popular urban destinations
in Northern Ireland and are both great travel hubs for tourists.
Northern Ireland is delightfully compact, meaning that the distance
between sightseeing attractions tends to be small; a rare advantage
when looking at the top attractions in a country and trying to plan
an itinerary!

Belfast is an interesting city, once one of the major
powerhouses of the Industrial Revolution, and a cauldron of
political strife for many decades. The city is undergoing a
wholesale rejuvenation, centring on the trendy Cathedral Quarter,
famous for its performing arts venues and vibrant nightlife. The
charming old city of Derry is less than two-hours drive from
Belfast, and boasts many museums and historic sites of its own.

Those staying in Belfast can make quick excursions to a number
of wonderful sites, including Giant's Causeway, on the scenic
Antrim Coast, which is generally lauded as Northern Ireland's top
tourist attraction. Whiskey lovers visiting Giant's Causeway should
also be sure to detour to the nearby Bushmills Distillery, in the
town of Bushmills, which is the oldest licensed whiskey distillery
in the world. Another gem near Belfast is the mysterious Giant's
Ring, a Neolithic henge which many visitors will find fascinating.
The delightfully scary Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, which offers
splendid views, is also only a short drive from the city.

We are looking for contributors for our Northern Ireland travel guide.
If you are a local, a regular traveller to Northern Ireland
or a travel professional with time to contribute and answer occasional forum questions, please contact us.